Beautiful
by helenluvsboo
Summary: One-shot. Selene contemplates beauty and changes, alone and with Michael. Post-Underworld, Pre-Underworld: Evolution.


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Pre-fiction notes:

This takes place post-Underworld. I haven't seen Underworld: Evolution yet, so I apologize if this conflicts with it somehow.

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**Beautiful**

_An Underworld FanFiction_

By the end of it all, Michael had changed. He was not the same; could not be the same. 'Of course,' Selene thought wryly, 'He became a new being, a new species, and God knows that's a hell of a change.' She smiled. He had been beautiful in the beginning—before, when he'd been human—and she had cared for him even then. In the middle, when he'd wrenched back and forth between werewolf and human forms and been to Hell and back, his beauty astounded her. And in the end, after she had given of herself in order to save him, when he'd become like her in a way. She liked to think that he had a small part of her inside him that no one else ever would or could. It was a small mercy. Very small. He'd changed so much, but he was still so beautiful. Throughout the changes, Michael's beauty somehow remained, transposed through all his forms. She sighed, leaning her head back against the cold stone and gazing out the window into the night.

She had changed too, she mused, 'but in a very different way.' Her eyes had been opened, and she had seen the light. She had seen through the hate and fear and prejudice and utter senselessness of it all. She had found him. He was a large part of her light, burning on and on, but not hurting her—never hurting her. Nearly blinding her and keeping her from regressing and devolving back into her own blindness from before. "Oh, Michael," she sighed aloud, closing her eyes. His eyes had been opened too, he'd taken in this new world that consumed him so quickly. She was so glad, felt so fortunate. What would she ever do without him? She couldn't imagine life without him now. She needed him.

Then again, it wasn't his burden to bear before. It almost wasn't fair. Almost. She couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for being so greedy. She loved him. And, even knowing how much terror and pain he'd experienced in the beginning, the middle, and especially the end couldn't change that. She couldn't live without him now. He has become a part of her, just like a part of her resided comfortably in him.

Selene opened her eyes and sighed, staring out the window at the crescent moon. 'Life is never fair,' she thought, then laughed aloud, adding "Or death." aloud, a soft murmur to herself. Strong arms encircled her from behind, wrapping around her shoulders.

"Death?" Michael asked quietly, leaning forward to inhale her scent and nuzzle her affectionately, "What death? Not mine, I hope." He laughed richly, but she could hear the tiny insecurity within it. She leaned back into his touch and matched his fanged smile with one of her own.

"I was just thinking," she replied, "about everything that's happened and how we've changed..." Her eyes locked with his and she saw something akin to vulnerability and warmth in his eyes, so she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. "...what?" She asked curiously.

"Well... I've changed so much and gained so much," he replied honestly, touching her face, "and I don't want to loose it, I just—"

She cut him off "You won't. I promise." She hesitated before adding "I'll never leave you." She leaned close, inhaling his unique essence, "I could never leave you. You're my mate... my lifemate..." He froze, and she drew away, beginning to doubt her instincts. "Unless... you do not want to be." She looked away, "I understand, I'll never speak of it again, I—"

His lips came down hard on hers, cutting her off. Something inside of her trembled and flared up. She responded enthusiastically, returning fire. They burned together.

When they finally separated, eyes locked, neither said a word. Selene broke the silence. "There could never be anyone else, Michael, I couldn't—"

He cut her off again, "Me neither," he said, framing her face with his hands, "You're the only one, now." He smiled again, flashing pearly fangs. "Change is good."

"Beautiful." She agreed.

The stood at the window together, in silence, gazing into the night. Together... forever.


End file.
